This invention relates generally to battery powered electrical devices and, more particularly, to apparatus for accessing the battery power of such electrical devices.
Electrical devices powered by small batteries are now used in virtually every sector of society by both adults and children. For example, remote control transmitters powered by "AA" size batteries for operating appliances such as T.V.'s are in widespread use. Similarly, battery powered personal stereos are in widespread use. In the business sector, battery powered hand-held tape recorders and calculators are also in common use. All of these devices generally comprise a housing having a battery compartment for receiving one or more batteries. For each battery received in the compartment there is a pair of spaced battery contacts which electrically engage the terminals of the battery electrodes when the battery is situated in the compartment. A removable cover generally closes the compartment.
At present, while batteries are situated in the battery compartment of an electrical device of the type described above, they cannot be used to supply power to another device. Therefore, if it is desired to operate another battery powered electrical device, it is necessary to either purchase additional batteries or remove the batteries from the first device and utilize them in the second device. Neither of these alternatives, however, are entirely satisfactory. The purchase of additional batteries involves additional costs and may be wasteful if both devices are not used simultaneously. On the other hand, it is not always convenient to continuously exchange the same batteries between two different devices and, of course, the two devices cannot be operated at the same time.